As for Nissan we looked at and drove the Murano but we both disliked the center dash - other than that everything about it was nice. I actually think the center stack of the original was nicer (we had one in the family years ago). Indeed, it was Mrs. Mango's third or fourth choice down the list - probably just not the best value when compared to some of the others. That and it didn't really feel "special" to us.
We didn't really consider the FX as she was not crazy about the looks and I didn't push her because I was fearful of how much cargo it can hold. I will admit, however, that I didn't really do my due diligence on it. FX50 is amazing.
Once I started looking in the States and realizing some of the deals, I started mostly looking for SUVs built in NA so I wouldn't have to pay duty....which like 3-5K based on what I was looking at.
Once the whole duty thing kicked in the list was cut to the MDX, RX 350, Grand Cherokee, and SRX. I was tempted to pick up and older GL but then smartened up. MDX won because of its value in the context of features and quality, Honda reliability (hopefully), and cargo space. IMO, nothing came close of offering what the MDX does for anywhere near the price.
Actually I'm lying, the GC is a sweet, sweet vehicle but the warranty doesn't transfer to Canada and I am dubious of its reliability.